November is National Adoption Month, and we’re celebrating with the Why Did You Choose Me? Saturday Hop and giveaway, hosted by JustRead Tours and Ambassador International! Every Saturday in November, hop along to the different host blogs and enter the great giveaway!
ABOUT THE BOOK
Title: Why Did You Choose Me?
Author: Katie Cruice Smith
Illustrator: Sarah Strickling Jones
Publisher: Ambassador International
Release Date: November 12, 2017
Genre: Children’s Picture Book, Adoption
Most adoptive and foster children struggle at some point in their life with knowing who they are and where they belong. They want to ask questions, and parents need to be prepared with an answer that helps their child feel loved and secure.
After searching for adoption storybooks to read to her own adopted children, Katie Cruice Smith decided that there was a need for more books that parents could read at bedtime to connect with their adopted and fostered children.
In Why Did You Choose Me?, Katie Cruice Smith answers that question in a way that young children can understand. Drawing from her own experience as an adoptive mom to three children, Katie uses the questions her own children have asked to help them see there never really was a choice she knew right away that they were hers.
With beautiful illustrations by artist Sarah Strickling Jones, Why Did You Choose Me? lovingly demonstrates the uniqueness that each child brings to a family.
PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Ambassador International
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Katie Cruice Smith is a freelance writer, journalist, and editor, and she resides in the Upstate of South Carolina with her husband and three adopted children. Katie is an adoption and foster care advocate, and she and husband are licensed foster parents and the founders of their church’s orphan ministry. She is currently working on a devotional book to accompany Why Did You Choose Me?
CONNECT WITH KATIE: website | Facebook | Twitter
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
Sarah Strickling Jones enjoys working with oils, acrylics, ceramics, and printmaking. She creates her artwork and teaches students of all ages from her country home. She lives in Greer, South Carolina, with her husband Darren and four children: Trevor, Peyton, Blake, and Renea. Why Did You Choose Me? is Sarah Strickling Jones’ first illustrated children’s book in watercolor.
CONNECT WITH SARAH: Facebook
Review
Growing up my closest cousin (only cousin on my Mother’s side) was adopted. I don’t think it ever occurred to us to ask why or what that meant. It was just a thing that was. To be fair anytime the three of us (my sister, my cousin, and I) were in a tiff it was nothing for either side to retort ‘I don’t have to like you as you aren’t my real cousin. This came from all of us and was soon forgotten as we moved onto other interests, mayhem, and tiffs. None of us ever took it seriously and we went on to be college roommates. My cousin went on to find her birth mother when we were adults. You know though, despite the never questioning or even caring that she was adopted, I never gave it much thought what the interactions she might have had outside our little circle. I just always remember how well our family handled it. There was never not knowing, it was never a secret, and it was never seen as anything less than what it was. . .family. I remember is college when she was cleaning at her mom’s house and found documents from her short time in foster care while parental rights were being transferred. The fact that for a few short weeks she had a different name. I think that was the most I’d ever seen the idea of being adopted bother her. To be fair, I can’t imagine ever being another name. And wondering what that person might have been compared to who I became.
I tell you all of that to share why I felt it was so important for me to read and review this book. My life has been positively touched by adoption and I can’t imagine my life without my cousin. While we may have grown apart as adults she is part of so many fond growing up memories. While we never found ourselves questioning anything about the idea that she was part of our family I know that many children will. I’m going to get really personal here and probably step on a lot of toes. I do not begin to understand families that keep that a child is adopted a secret, or thing they need to wait until a certain age or event or what have you to tell that child they are adopted. I feel like it throws shade on everything and unintentionally creates the mindset that they are different or bad or wrong or in some way less than other children they know. I don’t remember not knowing. By not knowing it wasn’t a thing. However, I’m sure there are many children less like us and more questioning things. Why? How? But? What if? Perhaps my cousin felt these things but it was never shared with me, even into our older years.
I’ve rambled on entirely too long without sharing how much I LOVED this book and that it’s the perfect addition for every families library (adoption included or not). The illustrations are quirky and engaging drawing their own conversation starters. The story, while rhyming is not sing-songy and is engaging. It brings a touch of silly to a serious conversation while still maintaining the respect for the importance and magnitude of a questioning child’s fears. Perfect for families, Sunday School, and even classrooms in the public sector this book brings to light fears that many children face as well as gentle reminders that there is no such thing as a perfect child. There are no takesie backies in love.
TOUR GIVEAWAY
One (1) winner will receive
- a print copy of Why Did You Choose Me?
- “For This Child I Prayed” ornament (more info HERE)
Enter via the Rafflecopter giveaway below. Giveaway will begin at midnight November 3, 2018 and last through 11:59pm December 1, 2018. US only. Winners will be notified within a week of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
Follow along at JustRead for a full list of stops/dates!
Love the cover.